English Literature: Modern and Contemporary Literature

Your postgraduate studies on the Modern and Contemporary Literature MA pathway will be shaped and informed by leading international researchers in the literature and culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Our research and teaching focuses on some of the most critical and pressing issues of our time, including contemporary racism as a legacy of transatlantic slavery in neo-slave narratives; surrealist depictions of climate change; global feminisms; the precarity of whiteness in American novels; and the crisis of post-modernity in contemporary writing. Tutors contributing to the pathway include New Generation Thinkers, award-winning writers and critics, and members of the Global Literatures Research Group. Regular visits by a range of international writers and poets, in association with the Centre for New and International Writing, will enhance your study. In the past we have welcomed writers including George Saunders, Nuar Alsadir and Jay Bernard. The pathway integrates teaching with Liverpool’s host of world-class cultural institutions and venues, such as the Everyman Theatre, the International Slavery Museum, Tate Liverpool and the Liverpool Biennial. Please note: when applying, please choose ‘MA English Literature’ from the list of programmes. You should specify the specific pathway which you wish to study in your personal statement. The MA is particularly suitable for graduates looking to pursue careers in the arts, culture, creative and heritage sectors, including journalism, copywriting, management in arts and culture organisations and teaching. The MA in English Literature provides students with rigorous academic training in the broad interdisciplinary field of literary history, theory and culture. The professional skills that students will develop upon completion of the programme will prepare them well for a wide range of potential employment areas. Departmental support includes:

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0

International students: Full-time place, per year - £28,000; Part-time: £14,000

UK students: Full-time place, per year - £12,500; Part-time: £6,250

UK/Home: Full-time place, per year - £12,500; Part-time: £6,250

International: Full-time place, per year - £28,000; Part-time: £14,000

28 September 2026

Rolling admissions - apply early

• Liverpool, United Kingdom